Yarn guide- and monitoring apparatus for a bobbin creel

ABSTRACT

A yarn guide- and monitoring apparatus at a bobbin or warper&#39;&#39;s creel, especially at a beam warping creel, comprising a feeler needle which is held against the yarn and upon the occurrence of yarn rupture carries out a pivotal movement into a tilted position, whereby it shuts down the associated yarn processing machine by interrupting a control current circuit. There is also provided a yarn clamping mechanism formed by two surfaces which can be resiliently pressed or urged against one another. According to the invention, the feeler needle which is pivotably mounted, in the direction of travel of the yarn, behind the yarn clamping mechanism and in a plane perpendicular to the plane of a gap between the surfaces of the yarn clamping mechanism has a substantially U-shaped flexed free end which is located in the aforementioned pivot plane and is subjected to the action of a spring which in the absence of the yarn retains the feeler needle in the aforesaid tilted position. The feeler needle in this rest position of the components bears with its free end against a stationary yarn deflecting pin and renders possible the threading-in or drawing-in of a yarn in one operation into the yarn clamping mechanism and along the deflecting pin and about such into the U-shaped end of the feeler needle.

United States Patent 191 Wildi er al.

1 YARN GUIDE- AND MONITORING APPARATUS FOR A BOBBIN CREEL [75] Inventors: Edwin Wildi, Niederuzwil; Albert Brandenberger, Uzwil, both of Switzerland [73] Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Benninger AG,

Uzwil, Switzerland [22] Filed: Jan. 11, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 432,580

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 17, 1973 Switzerland 605/73 [52] U.S. Cl 242/131.l, 28/51, 57/81, 66/163, ZOO/61.18, 242/36, 242/37 R [51] Int. Cl. B65h 49/02, B65h 25/14, D02h 1/00 [58] Field of Search 242/13l.1, 28, 29-36, 242/37 R, 131,148, l9;226/11, 12,45;

57/5836, 58.83, 81', 66/158-163; ZOO/61.13,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,021,401 2/1962 Young ZOO/61.18 3,330,016 7/1967 Smith et al.. 28/51 3,429,146 2/1969 Cvach 66/163 3,555,218 1/1971 Adams et a1 ZOO/61.18 3,727,393 4/1973 1 Mar. 25, 1975 Primary Examiner-Leonard D. Christian Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Werner W. Kleeman [57] ABSTRACT A yarn guideand monitoring apparatus at a bobbin or warpers creel, especially at a beam warping creel, comprising a feeler needle which is held against the yarn and upon the occurrence of yarn rupture carries out a pivotal movement into a tilted position, whereby it shuts down the associated yarn processing machine by interrupting a control current circuit. There is also provided a yarn clamping mechanism formed by two surfaces which can be resiliently pressed or urged against one another. According to the invention, the feeler needle which is pivotably mounted, in the direction of travel of the yarn, behind the yarn clamping mechanism and in a plane perpendicular to the plane of a gap between the surfaces of the yarn clamping mechanism has a substantially U-shaped flexed free end which is located in the aforementioned pivot plane and is subjected to the action of a spring which in the absence of the yarn retains the feeler needle in the aforesaid tilted position. The feeler needle in this rest position of the components bears with its free end against a stationary yarn deflecting pin and renders possible the threading-in or drawing-in of a yarn in one operation into the yarn clamping mechanism and along the deflecting pin and about such into the U- shaped end of the feeler needle.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures FATENTEU 2 5 S SHEET 1 BF 2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a yarn guideand monitoring apparatus or mechanism at a warpers or bobbin creel, especially at a beam warping creel, incorporating a feeler needle which is retained against the yarn, this feeler needle carrying out a pivotal movement into a tilted position upon rupture of the yarn, whereby such feeler needle shuts down the yarn processing machine by interrupting a control current circuit, and the aforesaid apparatus is also equipped with a yarn clamping device formed bytwo surfaces which can be resiliently pressed against one another.

Yarns which, for instance, are withdrawn from a bobbin creel and delivered to a winding machine or winder for winding upon the drum of such winder, as a general rule between the creel and the machine pass through a yarn brake or yarn clamping mechanism, a yarn moni tor which controls the presence of the yarn, a yarn leasing reed, and a warping reed. In many instances the yarn brake or clamping mechanism only has the function, when the winder is at standstill, to maintain the yarn field under tension so that it can be better visually observed, and additionally, during start-up of the winder to impart to the yarns a certain tension so that the yarn field can so-to-speak untangle or disengage, that is to say, any possible yarns which are coiled or intertwined with one another or adhere to one another can separate. As soon as the installation has reached its full speed, as a general rule the brake or clamping device is opened and the yarn, without being braked, passes through its yarn guide mechanism.

The heretofore known yarn guideand monitoring devices are associated with the drawback that at least some of them have considerable yarn wrap angles and- /or excessive deflections, leading to undesired bending loads or stresses at the yarn and to increased formation ofdust. Furthermore, as a result there is rendered more difficult a low tension or tension-poor processing operation. Also, these prior art mechanisms are generally complicated in construction and in their mounting and are accessible with difficulty for cleaning purposes.

A particular drawback associated with the prior art apparatuses, however, resides in the cumbersome manipulations which are required during drawing-in or threading of the yarn. This drawback is of particular significance because a rapid and positive, especially however a faultless threading of the yarn, is associated with a quite considerable increase in the economies of the installation owing to the associated reduction of the downtimes of such installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Hence, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved construction of yarn guideand monitoring apparatus for a bobbin creel which is not associated with the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations of the prior art proposals.

Another object of this invention aims at the provision of an improved construction of apparatus of the previously mentioned type which avoids these drawbacks, particularly the last above-mentioned drawbacks.

Now in order to implement these and still further objects of the invention, which will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, the apparatus of this development is manifested by the features that the feeler needle which, in the direction of travel of the yarn, is arranged behind the yarn clamping mechanism and is pivotably mounted in a plane perpendicular to the plane of a gap between the surfaces of the yarn clamping mechanism has a substantially U-shaped flexed free end which is located in the aforementioned pivot plane and is subjected to the action of a spring BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above, will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof wherein the drawings show, purely by way of example, an embodiment of yarn guideand monitoring apparatus at a beam warping installation with a \ficreel. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a top plan view of a beam warping installation;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a detail or section of the installation depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial view of a rail with two yarn guideand monitoring apparatuses or devices in different operating positions;

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to that of FIG. 3 of a yarn guideand monitoring apparatus with removed cover portions; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the arrangement of FIG. 4, taken substantially along the line V-V thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Describing now the drawings, it is to be understood that a beam warping machine or installation as schematically depicted by way ofexample in FIG. I, differs from a warping machine or frame in that in the case of the beam warping installation the yarns or threads are directly wound-up in their full width, in other words not bandwise, at the warp beam K of the winding machine W. The machine or installation depicted by way of example in FIG. 1 operates with a V-shaped creel. With such type creel the bobbins or spools S (FIG. 2) are creeled or mounted upon circular revolving chains R which can be motor driven for displacement purposes in a horizontal plane in any convenient manner. The yarns or threads F, hereinafter simply referred to as yarns, paid-off the bobbins S located in the work position, each individually pass through a yarn guideand monitoring mechanism 7 and from such location arrive directly, i.e., without any further guide elements, at the comb of the winding machine W. An essential advantage of such creel resides in the fact that the bobbins, during the warping process, can be newly mounted or creeled, and that after there has occurred the depletion of the bobbins, such can be collectively exchanged at one time in that the depleted bobbins are transported by means of the chain R out of their work position.

again be drawn-in or threaded into the yarn guideand The bobbins-or spools are arranged above one an-- other at supports in the creel. The individual mechanisms 7 for guiding and monitoring the yarns F from the bobbins S, which form a vertical row in the creel, are accommodated at a vertical substantially U-shaped profile member or portion 2 of the creel. Two contact rails 5 and 6 extend over the entire length of the profile member 2, parallel to its web 3 and such rails are insulated or isolated from the profile portion by the holder 4. Each mechanism 7 is assembled or mounted as a fabricated component by means of two screws (not shown) or equivalent fastening expedients, which can be threaded into threaded holes or bores of the holder 4. It possesses a plastic body or body member 8-which fits into the opening of the profile member 2 and serves as a carrier and housing for all further components of a yarn guideand monitoring mechanism 7. At the plastic body 8 there is threaded at one side or laterally thereof a metallic profile rod member 9, as best seen by referring to FlG. 5, and which profile rod member protrudes slightly past the plane of one leg of the profile member or portion 2 and possesses a flat or planar polished surface 10 parallel to such plane. Opposite this surface 10 there is located a likewise flat or planar surface ll of a double-angled or flexetl portion or componcnt 12 which owing to its sensitivity is constructed as a lightweight member and in which there is secured a A rail 15 (FIG. 3) is arranged along the opposite leg of the profile member 2, and which rail carries in spaced arrangement contact or run-on cams 16, the spacing thereof corresponding to the spacing of neighboring pins 13. By means of a not particularly illus trated spring the double-angled component or part 12 is retained with its surface 11 against the surface 10 of the profile rod member 9 in a position in which such component is shown for the lower mechanism 7 of FIG. 3. Due to lengthwise displacement of the rail 15, as should be readily understood, it is possible to simultaneously displace the run-onor contact cams 16 of all mechanisms 7 into the position depicted for the upper mechanism 7 of FIG. 3 in which, due to the contact of the pin 13 and the cam 16 against the action of the aforementioned spring, the surface 10 of the profile rod member 9 and the surface 11 of the component 12 are raised from one another. The components or parts 9 and 11 form a yarn clamping mechanism, the function of which will be described more fully hereinafter.

This yarn clamping mechanism, viewed in the direction of travel of the yarn, has arranged upstream thereof a feeler or sensor needle 20. This feeler needle v20 is rigidly connected for rotation with the end of a shaft or axle 21 which protrudes from the profile member'or part 2, this shaft 21 being mounted at the body 8 parallel to a gap 17 between the surfaces 10, 11 of the yarn clamping mechanism, so that the feeler needle 20 is pivotable in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the aforementioned gap 17 in front of such gap. A sleeve 22 rigidly rotatably connected with the shaft 21 eccentrically supports an arm 23 at which there is secured the'one end ofa weak tension spring 24. The other end of the tension spring 24 is stationarily or fixedly secured to a contact plate 25 and the body 8. This one end of the spring 24 is connected via the contact plate 25, an attachment screw 26 and a contact spring 27 electrically conductively with the contact rail 5. The tension spring 24, in the rest position of the components as such has been shown in FIG. 3 for the lower mechanism 7 and with full lines in FIG. 4, presses a cam 28 which protrudes from the sleeve 22 (FIG. 4) against a contact plate 29 of the body 8. The contact plate 29 is electrically conductively connected through the agency of an attachment screw 30 anda contact spring 31 with the contact rail 6.

In this rest position of the parts or components, as shown in FIG. 3, the free end 32 of the feeler needle 20, which is bent in a U-shaped manner so as to be open towards the bottom, bears with its outer leg against a 'yarn deflecting pin 33 which is arranged in the same plane as the feeler needle 20 and which is rigidly connected with its one end in the profile rod member 9. This yarn deflecting pin 33 extends at an inclination from its attachment location downwardly past the gap 17 and terminates flush with the end of the feeler needle 20 in the rest position thereof.

A cover plate 34 which can be simultaneously mounted with the body 8 protects the components which have been accommodated in the profile part or member 2 against dust. This cover plate 34 carries a cover member 35 which is visible in FIG. 3 and which also encloses or covers the bearings or supports of the feeler needle 20 and prevents that yarn will become caught at such supports or bearings.

As best seen from the schematic showing of FIG. 2, a pivotable knife or cutter rail 40 is arranged at the profile member 2, the blade or knife 41 of such cutter or knife rail 40 being pivotable through the action of a central control for all cutter rails at the region of the yarns between the bobbin and the yarn clamping mechanism, in order, prior to a group exchange operation, to simultaneously cut or separate all yarns. After this separation or cutting, it is possible, on the one hand, to remove or move away the empty bobbins and, on the other hand, to thread out the free hanging yarns which are still located at the yarn guide and monitoring mechanisms.

For threading in the ends of the new bobbins or spools, the yarns of the bobbins at all of the levels of the creel which are located above one another are grouped together and now in a single manipulation or handgrip can be drawn into the individual yarn guideand monitoring mechanisms in that they are guided from the top towards the bottom along the associated profile memher 2. An aisle or passage 51, which is formed by the bevelled champfered portions 52, 53 ofthe upper ends of the profile rods 9 andthe components 12, during downward movement with the thread, catches a yarnor thread and this yarn, during further downward movement, arrives at the gap 17, is deflected by the deflection or deflecting pin or pin member 33 out ofthe plane of the gap 17 and slides along the pin 17 about the end of the feeler needle 20 and into the bracket-shaped end thereof.

In this connection it is insignificant whether the yarn clamping mechanism is open as shown at the top of FIG. 2, or closed as shown at the bottom of FIG. 2. Also the position of the'feeler needle 20 is not critical.

While, with the previously known installations for the new drawing-in or threading of the yarn, it was always necessary in each instance to bring into its particular position, ahead of time, the yarn brake and/or feeler needle, in other words the yarn drawing-in or threading operations required certain manipulations, the inventive yarn guideand monitoring mechanism or device not only permits of a rapid, positive drawing-in of the yarns, rather, and this constitutes a further quite considerable advantage, such can occur without the clamping mechanism or the feeler needle having to be brought into a particular position, especially into the clamping position of the clamping mechanism, in other words in that position in which the components are located when the winding machine is at standstill, whether such is brought about because of yarn rupture or because of bobbin exchange. As already mentioned, the yarn clamping mechanism is only closed during standstill of the winding machine and during start-up thereof. During normal operation, due to displacement of all of the cams 16 of the creel, by means ofa central control, all of the yarn clamping mechanisms are opened into the position shown at the top of FIG. 3. The threading-out of the yarns from the feeler needles during the operation of the machine is prevented towards the top by virtue of the U-shape of the feeler needle end and towards the bottom by the pin 13. During operation, each yarn retains its feeler needle 20, against the action of spring 24, in the position shown at the top of FIG. 3, wherein the contact cam 28, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 4, is lifted from the contact plate 29.When this contact position for all yarn guideand monitoring mechanisms of the creel is open, then the winder or winding machine can be placed into operation. lfa yarn ruptures, then its feeler needle is rocked into the position shown at the bottom of FIG. 3, and its cam 28 bears against the contact plate 29. The thus closed current circuit triggers the following operation: The winding machine is brought to standstill, displacement of the cam 16, so that all yarn clamping mechanisms of the creel assume the holding position and illumination of warningand indicating lamps.

What is further worthy of mention is also the fact that the inventive yarn guideand monitoring mechanism functions with a comparatively small wrapping angle of 90. This, in turn, among other things provides less tension control and a very small chafing load or chafing of the yarns. This again renders possible high withdrawal speeds. The small bending loads resulting from the slight deflection of the threads renders it possible to increase the range of the yarn numbers of yarns which are processed at a creel equipped with the inventive 6 mechanism, in particular it is also possible to process coarser yarns.

The comparatively slight deflection of the yarn or thread also counteracts the danger of contamination by dust. Wrapping angles up to 270, as are present with the heretofore known yarn guides, produce dust due to the larger yarn friction, and which dust then tends to collect at. certain locations, with the result that periodically ballooned or conglomerated dust portions are entrained by the yarn, which can lead to yarn rupture either already during the beam warping process or during processing of the beamed warp. Apart from the above, there should be mentioned the increased expenditure for cleaning purposes in the case of machines which develop a large amount of dust, possibly the impairment of machines operating in the same room and particularly impairment of electrical contacts and bearing OI support locations by dust.

With the inventive yarn guideand monitoring mechanism, there is not only produced less dust during operation, rather the entire apparatus or mechanism is additionally also designed to be very safe against dust.

A further advantage of the inventive mechanism also resides in the fact that the yarn clamping mechanism is arranged upstream or ahead of the feeler needle viewed in the direction of travel of the yarn. This sequence has; the advantage that any possible dam-up due to the clamping mechanism does not have any effect upon the needle and cannot lead to erroneous shutdowns, ano that the feeler needle continuously fulfills its function and not merely when the clamping mechanism is released.

Finally, there is to be mentioned that the U-shaped profile member of part 2 is installed such that both legs face away from the bobbin or spool S. Consequently. there is rendered possible, right at the start, an idea? mounting and revision of the internal components, the dust contamination during unwinding of the bobbins is particularly slight for the internal components, and the internal compartment is additionally cleaned by the suction air generated due to the movement of the yarn.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

Accordingly what is claimed is:

1.. A yarn guideand monitoring mechanism for a. bobbin creel, especially at a beam warping creel, comprising a feeler needle which is held against the yarn and in the presence of yarn rupture carries out a pivotal movement into a tilted position, wherein such feeler needle by interrupting a current control circuit shuts down an associated yarn processing machine, and a yarn clamping mechanism formed by two surfaces which can be resiliently pressed against one another. the improvement comprising said feeler needle being arranged behind the yarn clamping mechanism with re spect to the direction of travel of the yarn and being pivotably mounted in a plane perpendicular to the plane of a gap between the surfaces of the yarn clamping mechanism, said feeler needle having a substantially U-shaped flexed free end which is located in said pivot plane, a spring acting upon the feeler needle, which spring in the absence of the yarn retains the feeler needle in said tilted position defining a rest position, a stationary yarn deflecting pin, the feeler needle 7 in this rest position bearing with its freeend against said stationary yarn deflecting pin and rendering possible the threading inof a yarn in one operation into the yarn Clamping mechanism andalong the deflecting pin and i of the feeler needle.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, further including a profile member which. possesses a substan tially U-shaped cross-sectional configuration in which a plurality of such yarn guideand monitoring mechanisms can be mounted, and from which profile member there only protrudes the feeler needles as well as both surfaces of the clamping mechanism.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the profile member, a rail with contact cam means provided for each pin' in the profile member, and wherein the actuation pin together. with the actuation pins of further such mechanisms can be simultaneously adjusted in the profile member by displacing said rail having the eontacteam means for each pin.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the feeler needle in its rest position establishes an electrical connection via its spring and a contact spring and via a contact cam and a contact plate and a second contact spring between two contact. rails which are arranged to extend along a web of the profile member.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, further including a support for the feeler needle, and wherein the bled and disassembled as a unit via this body at the profile member.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including a cutting device which, viewed in the direction of travel of the yarn, is pivotably mounted ahead of the profile member has a hollow compartment, the actuaclamping mechanism at the region of theyarn.

tion pin extending into the hollow compartment of the 

1. A yarn guide- and monitoring mechanism for a bobbin creel, especially at a beam warping creel, comprising a feeler needle which is held against the yarn and in the presence of yarn rupture carries out a pivotal movement into a tilted position, wherein such feeler needle by interrupting a current control circuit shuts down an associated yarn processing machine, and a yarn clamping mechanism formed by two surfaces which can be resiliently pressed against one another, the improvement comprising said feeler needle being arranged behind the yarn clamping mechanism with respect to the direction of travel of the yarn and being pivotably mounted in a plane perpendicular to the plane of a gap between the surfaces of the yarn clamping mechanism, said feeler needle having a substantially U-shaped flexed free end which is located in said pivot plane, a spring acting upon the feeler needle, which spring in the absence of the yarn retains the feeler needle in said tilted position defining a rest position, a stationary yarn deflecting pin, the feeler needle in this rest position bearing with its free end against said stationary yarn deflecting pin and rendering possible the threading-in of a yarn in one operation into the yarn clamping mechanism and along the deflecting pin and about such into the Ushaped end of the feeler needle.
 2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including an actuation pin for opening the clamping mechanism by moving away from one another both of said surfaces of the clamping mechanism, said clamping mechanism having a portion at which there is secured said actuation pin, said actuation pin extending through the gap between the surfaces of the clamping mechanism such that in the operating position of the yarn guide- and monitoring mechanism it limits movement of the yarn in a direction out of the U-shaped end of the feeler needle.
 3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, further including a profile member which possesses a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional configuration in which a plurality of such yarn guide-and monitoring mechanisms can be mounted, and from which profile member there only protrudes the feeler needles as well as both surfaces of the clamping mechanism.
 4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the profile member has a hollow compartment, the actuation pin eXtending into the hollow compartment of the profile member, a rail with contact cam means provided for each pin in the profile member, and wherein the actuation pin together with the actuation pins of further such mechanisms can be simultaneously adjusted in the profile member by displacing said rail having the contact cam means for each pin.
 5. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the feeler needle in its rest position establishes an electrical connection via its spring and a contact spring and via a contact cam and a contact plate and a second contact spring between two contact rails which are arranged to extend along a web of the profile member.
 6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, further including a support for the feeler needle, and wherein the clamping mechanism, the feeler needle with its support, said spring of the feeler needle, said contact plates and contact springs, are secured to a body, so that the yarn guide- and monitoring mechanism can be assembled and disassembled as a unit via this body at the profile member.
 7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including a cutting device which, viewed in the direction of travel of the yarn, is pivotably mounted ahead of the clamping mechanism at the region of the yarn. 